


Sobakasu

by a_very_smol_frog



Series: The Crow's Nest [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Dorks, Fluff, Freckles, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Mutual Pining, Tsukki does have a heart, Tsukki!, yams is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24381460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_very_smol_frog/pseuds/a_very_smol_frog
Summary: The story of how Tsukishima and Yamaguchi got together.~This fic is part of the Crow's Nest AU. It is not a stand alone fic and I suggest reading Student of the Sun before reading this~
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Series: The Crow's Nest [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711909
Comments: 23
Kudos: 284





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ask and you shall receive! A lot of you have been asking me for a TsukkiYama fic since SOS and I finally got an idea that I liked! This is going to be the longest branch of the Crow's Nest AU since I didn't touch on their relationship much during SOS. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy it! <3

The dinner rush had come and gone, leaving Tsukishima alone in the kitchen to prepare for breakfast tomorrow. It was cathartic to him. He was cleaning up all of the chaos of the day so he could start tomorrow on a clean slate. No matter what had happened during his shift he knew that the next day would be completely different. 

He started planning what specials they would have tomorrow as he prepared the fruits and vegetables for breakfast. Maybe a parfait of some kind for breakfast. They had a large bag of oats that needed to be used and if they were toasted they would be a wonderful garnish. 

“Tsukishima?” The blonde’s attention was pulled to the door that led into the dining room and onto Hinata who had just entered the kitchen. The redhead had large bags under his eyes and his face drooped with fatigue. 

“Do you think you could do me a huge favor?” Tsukishima scowled. He hated doing people favors. For the most part he just hated people in general. In the kitchen there wasn’t room for small talk or friendly conversation. 100% of your attention had to be focused on your surroundings or you were one knife slip or dropped pot of boiling water from the hospital. Everything had to be orderly and precise but the heat and the flames constantly kept you on your toes. 

“What do you need?” A look of relief flooded Hinata’s features. 

“Tobio is really sick. I think he picked up whatever stomach bug Rini had last week. I dropped her off at ballet earlier but I don’t want to leave Tobio alone right now. Do you think you could go pick her up for me?” Tsukishima sighed. If it would have been any other request he would have easily said no and went back to prepping the kitchen, but it was Bunny, one of three people he didn’t hate in this world.

“Fine, but I’m driving your car.” The chef quickly put away the ingredients he had been chopping and cleaned himself off. He had been to the ballet studio a few times to watch Rini’s performances so he got there with ease. The night air was stagnant and muggy, his shirt clung to the small of his back as he walked through the parking lot and into the building. 

He had arrived just as class was being dismissed. At 6’5” he towered over all the young girls and was easily able to pick out Rini as she walked out of the ballet room with her small backpack. Big blue eyes lit up when she saw him and a wide smile spread across her face. He would never tell anyone this but his heart always did a flip flop when she looked at him like that. 

When he had first come to work at the Crow’s Nest the little girl had taken a liking to him almost instantly. At first he found her presence annoying, like a fly buzzing around your head that you couldn’t swat away, but his opinion quickly changed. 

Rini was enamoured by everything he did in the kitchen. Her eyes always widened in wonder at things that had grown mundane and boring to him. She reminded him to appreciate the small details and to look at how far he had come. He took great pleasure and watching her clumsily try to mimic his actions with her little tongue poking out between her teeth. 

“TSUKKI!” The 8 year old ran across the lobby and threw herself into his arms. He was one of the few people who could still pick her up but he felt his arms shake a little as he did so. It made his heart ache a little to see her growing up so quickly. 

“Where is Papa? He was the one who dropped me off.” 

“Your dad is really sick so Hinata stayed home with him and asked me to come get you. But if you’re not happy to see me I could always make you walk home.” The girl laughed and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. She never fell for Tsukishima’s sarcastic remarks, she knew she had him wrapped around her little finger. 

“You wouldn’t make me walk!”

“I make brats walk home. Now go get your shoes on so we can leave. Do you need to eat dinner?” 

“Yes, can you make me okonomiyaki?” He had already cleaned the griddle before he left but he was a weak man.

“Sure. Now hurry up. I want to leave.” Rini happily clapped her hands and skipped over to her shoe cubby. Tsukishima pulled out his phone and started absentmindedly scrolling through his social media while Rini got ready. 

“Um excuse me?” The blonde looked up from his phone screen at a freckled face. His grip around his phone tightened slightly. Yamaguchi Tadashi was Rini’s ballet instructor and a good friend of Hinata’s. And Tsukki may or may not have a massive crush on the other man. 

It started when they went to Rini’s first ballet recital a year ago. Yamaguchi walked onto stage dressed in a black leotard and black tights and Tsukishima felt his heart flutter a bit at the sight. Ever since then Tsukishima had seen Yamaguchi a few times at parties or other ballet recitals and each time he felt the same feeling, but he had never found the courage to talk to the other man. 

Love and relationships were pointless in Tsukishima’s eyes. Nothing was guaranteed and you could pour your heart and soul into a relationship just to have the other person throw it all away. He chose instead to focus on his career and honing his skills as a chef, something that could never be taken away from him. 

“Can I help you?” Tsukishima tried to keep his tone indifferent so that the ballet teacher wouldn’t guess that his heart was thundering in his chest, threatening to explode through his ribcage. 

“Um I was just wondering why Kageyama or Hinata aren’t here to get Rini tonight.” 

“Kageyama has a stomach bug and Hinata chose to stay home with him. Is there a problem? I can have them call you to tell you it is fine for me to take her home.” Tsukishima silently begged Rini to come back over so he could focus his attention on someone else. Yamaguchi was dressed in a dark blue leotard and tights today and Tsukishima had to force his eyes to stay level with the other man’s, but that did little to ease his pain because all he could do was focus on the constellation of dark brown freckles that dusted the dancer’s cheeks. 

“No no I recognize you from the restaurant” Tsukishima’s heart stalled. Yamaguchi had looked at him enough to recognize him. “It's just we are hosting a summer barbeque to celebrate the 28th year of the dance studio and I was going to ask them if they could volunteer but if Kageyama is sick then he should stay home and rest.” Tsukishima watched Yamaguchi wring his hands with anxiety. 

“I can help.” He blurted the words out without thinking, but the way Yamaguchi’s eyes lit up almost made him not want to crawl in a hole and die...almost. 

“Really?! That would be amazing. We are short on volunteers this year and I really need the help.” Now Tsukishima couldn’t back out. Internally he screamed at himself but his visage remained cool calm and collected. 

“Sure. What do you need the most help with?” 

“Well most of the decorating can be done the morning of but I could use help preparing the food the night before.” Tsukishima breathed a sigh of relief. Food was easy. 

“I can help with that.” Yamaguchi beamed at him and Tsukishima’s lips pulled up into the barest ghost of a smile. 

“We could prepare everything at the restaurant the night before and store it there and then I can bring it the next day.” 

“Oh no I wouldn’t ask you to go through all that trouble!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, it makes the most sense. I have an industrial fridge that I can store everything in. This is going to be a lot of food and your fridge at home wouldn’t be big enough to keep it all fresh.” Plus, Tsukishima didn’t know if he could handle being in Yamaguchi’s apartment or vice versa. In the kitchen he was in control but it wasn’t a personal space for him. 

“Okay whatever you think is best. Thank you again Tsukishima.” 

“You can call him Tsukki!” Both the men looked down at a smiling Rini who had finally come back wearing her sneakers. Yamaguchi looked back up at Tsukishima with a smile. 

“Okay. Thanks Tsukki.” Tsukishima couldn’t find the words to correct him.

~~~

It was just a few hours of helping Yamauchi prepare the food for tomorrow. All he had to do was keep his head down and focus on the task at hand. It would be easy. At least that was what Tsukishima had been trying to convince himself all day. Everyone had noticed he was off today. Noya had saved several fillets of fish from burning when Tsukishima zoned out. Tanaka ended up reading out their orders because the head chef kept reading them wrong. Even Asahi asked if Tsukishima was okay when the blonde failed to alert him that an order was ready and it sat in the window till it got cold. 

Now Tsukishima was nervously wiping down the stainless steel counter for the fifth time in the span of 10 minutes. He told himself the reason why his hands were shaking was because he couldn’t find the will to eat lunch today, but he didn’t have a good explanation for the knots in his stomach that kept him from eating. 

“Hey Tsukki I’m here!” Yamaguchi wobbled his way into the kitchen balancing an armful of grocery bags. The brown paper covered up most of his face and all that was visible was the top of his head. Tsukishima rushed forward to grab a bag when Yamaguchi stumbled over the edge of one of the prep counters. The momentum caused the dancer to fall right into Tsukishima’s chest, the bags keeping them separate but now Yamaguchi’s face was visible and only inches from Tsukishima’s. The blonde could feel Yamaguchi’s warm breath on his face, it smelled like oranges. 

“Sorry Tsukki! There are a lot of bags so I was trying to carry in as many as possible.” Tsukishima clicked his tongue and quickly took the bags out of Yamaguchi’s arms and scurried over to the counter. He took his time so the bright red blush on his face could fade. 

Yamaguchi was right; there were a lot of bags. When they finally unloaded all of them the kitchen was devoid of all counter space. 

“Let's put the cold stuff in the fridge until we need it. We can start by getting the meat marinating and then we can cut up the fruits and vegetables. What were you planning on doing for dessert?” The methodical planning helped calm Tsukishima’s racing heart. 

Yamaguchi pulled out a large tub of heavy whipping cream. 

“Rini said you’re the best at making ice cream!” Tsukishima stared at the bright smile on Yamaguchi’s face. Making ice cream was a lot of work and it was messy, he didn’t like to do it often. He told himself he was doing it because Rini would be disappointed if he didn’t make her favorite dessert. 

“Okay we will do that last so it isn’t ruined by us going in and out of the fridge.”

~~~

For the most part Yamagchi was a good partner in the kitchen. He was quiet, diligent, and worked hard to mirror the techniques Tsukishima showed him. The dancer’s grace was just as evident off stage and he easily flitted around the kitchen, never once bumping into Tsukishima. 

“So what made you want to become a chef?” The blonde stopped cutting the strawberries on his board for a split second before shaking his head and getting back to work. 

“I don’t like people and I don’t like being bored. A kitchen is never boring and if it starts to get boring all I have to do is change the dishes or learn something new. And when you’re working there isn’t time for chit chat. Screw up one time and you could lose a finger.” Yamaguchi was standing next to him depitting cherries. They worked in silence for a few more moments before he spoke again. 

“I think I like dancing for the same reasons. I-I’m not the best at being confident or talking to people but dance helps me take control of my body and show my emotions without words. And there are so many different types of dancing out there that you can never get bored.” Yamaguchi stopped and looked up at Tsukishima with a soft smile. 

“I guess we’re not that different Tsukki.” Tsukishima’s heart fluttered in his chest and it felt like the universe recentered itself around Yamagchi’s smile. As he brought his hand down to slice into the strawberry it slipped and the moment was ruined by the sharp sting in his finger. 

“Shit.” It was a small cut but finger cuts always looked more dramatic than they actually were. Tsukishima was more embarrassed than he was hurt, but Yamaguchi panicked.

“Oh my god Tsukki I am so sorry!” The dancer scrambled around Tsukishima but in his haste he lost all of his grace. His feet fumbled over one of the rubber floor mats and Tsukishima reached out with his uninjured hand to steady him before he fell. They stood there looking into each other’s eyes. Tsukishima’s heartbeat was in his ears and his vision narrowed to Yamaguchi’s lips as the other man’s tongue darted out to lick them. 

Time seemed to stand still as Yamaguchi took a step towards him, closing the small gap between them. Tsukishima had lost all control of his body, just watching as the dancer’s gaze darted from his eyes to his lips. Slowly, the distance between them got even smaller. Yamaguchi’s breath smelled like cherries now, he had been eating them even though Tsukishima told him to stop. They were an inch away from each other now, all Tsukishima had to do was tilt forward ever so slightly to taste the cherry red stain on Yamaguchi’s lips. 

Yamaguchi’s hand reached out to clasp Tsukishima’s forearm. His eyes widened slightly and he pulled back. Tsukishima’s heart fell to his feet but then he saw the reason behind Yamaguchi’s retreat. They had both forgotten about his cut and now blood ran down his hand and forearm. Yamaguchi pulled his hand back to see his palm dyed red. 

“T-thats a lot of blood.” He stammered. His face had gone pale and brown eyes looked up at Tsukishima one last time before they rolled back into his head. Tsukishima’s arm darted out and wrapped around Yamaguchi’s waist as the other man went boneless. 

“Shit shit shit.” The blonde tried to hold Yamaguchi up right with one arm, forcing him to clutch the other man to his chest. The dancer’s head fell forward against Tsukishima’s shoulder. The blonde’s face burned as he felt Yamaguchi’s nose brush against his jaw and felt warm puffs of breath against his skin. 

Slowly, Tsukishima sank to the floor holding Yamaguchi close so he didn’t get hurt on any of the counters. Once on the floor he laid Yamaguchi down on his back. The chef then made quick work of getting his hand and arm cleaned up, putting on a bandage and a glove for safe measure. He then got a wet dish towel and went back to where Yamaguchi was still laying on the floor. 

Tsukishima sat and pulled Yamaguchi’s head into his lap. He laid the cool cloth across his forehead. His heart crawled its way back up his throat as he looked at Yamaguchi’s peaceful face. Ignoring the alarm bells ringing in his head, Tsukishima gently reached out and traced the freckles that were sprinkled across one of Yamaguchi’s cheeks. The contact caused the dancer’s nose to wrinkle and his eyelids to flutter. 

Disoriented brown eyes squinted up at Tsukishima. 

“Tsukki?” God, even when he was just waking up from passing out he managed to be adorable. 

“You passed out.” Tsukishima deadpanned. Yamaguchi’s eyes flew open and he quickly sat up. 

“I am so sorry Tsukki! Did I hurt you? I don’t handle blood very well. I am so sorry.”

“You already said that.” Yamaguchi’s expression wilted and shame washed across his face. Tsukishima decided that he didn’t like it when Yamaguchi looked like that. 

“Hey, you’re fine. No one got hurt and I bandaged up my hand. Let's get this place cleaned up and finish getting stuff ready okay?” Yamaguchi seemed to relax a little bit and he gave Tsukishima a small forced smile. 

They (meaning Tsukishima) cleaned up the blood and went back to work. The silence between them was comfortable but neither mentioned what could have been. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I apologize for the short delay in my posting. 
> 
> I am sure most of you are aware of the turmoil in the United States right now (and if you arent I urge you to educate yourself). I have been doing my best to be active and outspoken during all of this. It is abundantly clear to me now that I cannot just passively support this movement and I must use my privilege to speak out against this injustice. 
> 
> I ask that you all arm yourself with knowledge and information. Do not allow yourself to be ignorant during these critical times. Support this cause in any way you can. We can not longer be silenced. #blm

It was crowded and loud, two things Tsukishima hated. He had been assigned to watch over the grills with a few of the other volunteers. It was nothing compared to running a fully staffed kitchen during a dinner rush but it was just as loud. Thankfully, the hot metal and burning coals gave him a sturdy barrier between him and the children currently running around. 

He had come with Hinata and Rini. Kageyama was still too sick to attend but assured his partner that he was well enough to be home alone. Tsukishima refused to mingle, instead focusing all of his attention on the short ribs in front of him. He was here to help a friend that was it. 

Said friend was floating throughout the small crowd and checking up on the guests. Yamaguchi’s face would always flush bright red whenever he was praised and every time he directed the conversation back to the children instead of keeping it on himself. Tsukishima wondered if it was because he was being polite or if he didn’t believe he deserved the compliments. 

“You’ve been watching Tadashi a lot today.” Tsukishima jumped when he suddenly heard Hinata’s voice next to him. The redhead had an impish smile on his face as he perused the meat on the grill, finally deciding on a piece and plucking it off the metal. Tsukishima scowled but he couldn’t hide the slight red tint on his cheeks. 

“I’m just observing the party. It’s not like I have much to pay attention to here. I’m bored.” Golden eyes looked down pointedly at the grill, refusing to look back up. 

“Hey you don’t need to get all defensive. I was just making my own observation. I could talk to him if you wanted.” A jolt of fear ran up Tsukishima’s spine and he slammed a raw piece of beef down onto the grill with a little too much force. 

“I do not need you to talk to Yamaguchi for me. There is nothing going on between us and there will never be anything between us. I need to focus on my career, relationships are a foolish distraction.” Tsukishima may have had a moment of weakness last night, but he would not repeat his actions. His career and his skills are what he needed to focus on. Love would just interfere in his long term goals. 

Now it was Hinata’s turn to scowl. 

“Love is not a foolish distraction Tsukishima. Yea it can suck and hurt sometimes but it also heals people and brings them closer. You love Rini right? Is that a foolish distraction?”

“W-well no of course not but Bunny is a child. It's not the same thing.” 

“Both Kageyama and Oikawa have been able to be successful and in love.”

“Kageyama was almost killed by being in love. He is lucky it worked out this time.” As the words left his mouth Tsukishima knew he had gone too far. He had been there when Umi came back into Kageyama’s life and had seen how hard Hinata fought by his side. It had been years since then and Kageyama still struggled some days but Hinata was always there to hold him steady, his love and support for his partner never wavering. 

The smile had vanished off the redhead’s face, replaced with a contemplative look. He used his chopsticks to fiddle with the vegetables on his plate. 

“I would never hurt Kageyama like that. He and Rini are my everything... I hope that one day you’re able to move past the fear that is holding you back and can find something like we have.” Tsukishima watched Hinata turn and walk away. 

Guilt washed over him. He wasn’t scared he was just practical. Sure being in love worked out for some people but he wasn’t one of those people. He had seen it ruin too many lives to believe in something so flimsy and breakable. 

“Hey Tsukki is something wrong?” Golden eyes flickered over to look at a concerned freckled face. Tsukishima clenched his jaw and looked back down at the grill. 

“I’m fine.” 

“Are you sure? If you need to take a break that's fine.”

“Actually, I’m not feeling well and I think it would be best for me to return home. I apologize for the inconvenience.” Tsukishima set down the tongs he was holding and made quick work of untying his apron. Yamaguchi stared at him with a bewildered expression as the white cloth was thrust into his hands. 

“Wait Tsu-”

“Have a pleasant evening Yamaguchi-san.” Tsukishima refused to look up at the dancer. He gave a short bow and then quickly snaked his way around the grills and into the crowd. The voices around him were so loud and the heat of the summer air was suffocating. 

He just needed to go home and clear his head. Hinata had put all of the love nonsense in his head and it was making him sick to his stomach. He just wanted to be alone. He would be alone forever, he didn’t need anyone else. Being alone was safe.

~~~

It had been a week since the unfortunate events at the Nekoma picnic party. Tsukishima had used the time to reorganize his priorities and get back on the right track. He had a kitchen to run and customers to serve, that is what he needed to be focusing on, not some childish fairytale. 

The chef currently sat in the empty dining room with his laptop and several spreadsheets out in front of him. He had gotten bored of their menu and wanted to completely start from scratch. He flipped through recipes online for inspiration, scribbling down how much of each ingredient he would need, and comparing costs. He paused when he heard the delicate chime of the bell on the restaurant door. Even though all lights were off and the sign said closed he still had a customer every once and awhile who was blind to context clues. 

“I’m sorry but we are currently clo-” Tsukishima stopped mid sentence when he turned to see a familiar face. Yamaguchi gave him a sheepish smile. The dancer was dressed in an oversized light pink button up shirt, demi shorts, and had on a white bucket hat to match. Tsukishima felt his tongue go dry. 

“H-hey Tsukki. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by. Hinata told me you were still here.” Tsukishima couldn’t deny that his heart did a little flip flop at the thought of Yamaguchi asking about him. 

“Anyways I never got to thank you for helping out with the party and the way you left…” Yamaguchi fiddled with the brim of his hat and chewed at his bottom lip. He had a canvas bag slung over his shoulder and he reached in to pull out a tupperware container. 

“I-I just wanted to thank you for everything. I’m not a chef so these probably aren’t that good but Rini told me you like dinosaurs so…” Yamaguchi thrust the box into Tsukishima’s hands. 

The blonde stared at Yamaguchi, then down at the box, and then back up at Yamaguchi. Tsukishima was used to people thanking him for his work but it was always them complimenting his abilities. No one had ever gone out of their way to make him something before. 

The dark blue lid popped off easily and inside the container were sugar cookies decorated to look like dinosaurs. The execution was a bit rough but it was easy to discern the species. The one at the very top was a stegosaurus, then a t-rex, a pterodactyl, and a triceratops. 

“I didn’t have a lot of food dye so I know the colors don’t make much sense but really we have never seen a triceratops before so we don’t know if they were pink or not and-” 

“Yamaguchi.” Tsukishima interrupted the dancer’s nervous ramblings. The shorter man clicked his jaw shut immediately. He was tensed, like a deer ready to bolt at the first hint of danger. 

“You made these for me?” A puzzled expression washed over Yamaguchi’s face.

“Yeah. I needed to thank you but buying a card felt cheap. I asked Rini what your favorite things are and she told me dinosaurs so I learned how to make these.” 

Tsukishima felt weird. His heart was squirming in his chest and his stomach was doing somersaults. He felt warm all over and his vision was starting to go blurry. They weren’t professional but it was clear that Yamaguchi had taken special care to make these cookies to the best of his abilities. Tsukishima wondered how many deformed dinosaurs were at the other man’s apartment, not good enough to make the final cut. 

“If you don't like them you can just throw them away! You just helped me a lot last weekend and it would be rude not to show my gratitude.” 

“No they’re...no one has ever made me anything like this before.” Growing up Tsukishima lived off of frozen dinners and take-out. He didn’t blame his mother. She was a hopeless cook and a single mother trying to raise two boys while also working full time. Every birthday or holiday she always went to the store and picked up a cake or cookies. 

When he was in 5th grade Tsukishima spent the night at a friend’s house for the first time and he was shocked when he saw the other boy’s mother cooking in the kitchen. The only appliance in their house that ever got used was the microwave and occasionally the oven. He stood in awe as he watched her turn raw ingredients into a feast of delicious food. 

As he got older he gradually learned how to navigate the kitchen. It started with simple things like rice and omelettes but as he grew older his skills improved. By the time he reached highschool he was cooking all of his family’s meals and take-out became a rare occasion. For years he had been cooking everything for everyone else but no one had taken the time to cook anything for him. Food had become the way he expressed his love and gratitude and he never realized how much it hurt that no one had done the same for him until this very moment. 

“I’m sorry for the way I behaved at the picnic. Hinata and I had a conversation and...it frightened me. I needed to go home to gather myself.” 

“Oh um it's okay Tsukki. What were you guys talking about?”

“ _ You _ .” Tsukishima said bluntly. A look of horror washed across Yamaguchi’s face. 

“I am sorry if I did anything to offend you Tsukki! I know I made a fool of myself when I fainted and put a lot of responsibility on yo-” Yamaguchi’s nervous ramblings faded away. For so long Tsukishima had sworn to himself that he didn’t need anyone in his life. He had seen the way his father had abandoned his mother as she grew older, replacing her for the cute cashier at the store. He had watched his brother endure a long distance relationship for years, only to fly to Australia as a surprise and find his girlfriend with a ring on her finger and another man in her bed. 

He had seen the way love had broken the people around him and swore he would never be like them, but here he was standing up from his chair. Here he was cupping Yamaguchi’s face in his hands. Here he was capturing the dancer’s lips with his own to silence his nervous chatter. 

Yamaguchi tensed against him and Tsukishima’s heart froze in terror. What was he doing? He had no idea how Yamaguchi felt about him. He had stated that the cookies were a thank you, not some love confession. Tsukishima began to pull away, an apology already leaving his lips, but the movement seemed to snap Yamaguchi out of his trance. The shorter man roughly grabbed Tsukishima’s collar with two fists and pulled him back down for a heated kiss. 

The dancer’s coy demeanor had been replaced by a sly minx. Tsukishima was helpless against Yamaguchi’s feverish advances, it took all of his brain power to try and keep up with the mounting intensity of the kiss. 

Yamaguchi gently guided the chef backwards until his thighs hit the table and a rough shove forced him to sit. Now that the height difference was reversed, Yamaguchi grew more bold. A sharp nip to Tsukishima’s lower lip caused him to gasp and the dancer took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, coaxing out the blonde’s tongue with his own. 

Tsukishima was drowning in Yamaguchi, pulling in rough gasps of air in small gaps but never leaving the other man’s lips for more than a few seconds. His hands moved from uselessly sitting against the table to gripping the dancer’s hips and yanking him flush against Tsukishima’s chest. The blonde couldn’t help but smirk at Yamaguchi’s sharp inhale.

Time and space ceased to exist around them. They were lost in each other, focused solely where they connected. A smoldering heat burned through Tsukishima’s veins and engulfed him. It was terrifying but at the same time it was  _ exhilarating _ . 

“Ahem.” Both of the men froze at the soft cough. Yamaguchi’s head snapped up and he went to back away but Tsukishima’s iron grip on his hips prevented him from moving. Kageyama stood awkwardly in the doorway, blue eyes looking up at the ceiling. 

“I-um just wanted to tell you that I’m locking up.” The discomfort in the room was palpable. 

“Okay. Thank you. I will lock the door when I leave.” 

“Yea um okay thanks. Sorry for...interrupting.” The father quickly turned on his heel and scurried out of the room, leaving Tsukishima and Yamaguchi alone once again. 

The blonde looked up at the man in his arms. The golden and scarlet hues of the setting sun streamed in from the windows, painting all of Yamaguchi’s features in its brilliant glow. His lips were swollen and red from their kisses but Tsukishima knew he’d never get close to giving them the amount of attention they deserved. Dark freckles stood out in sharp contrast to the deep carmine blush that painted Yamaguchi’s cheeks. He was panting softly and his warm breath sent goosebumps down Tsukishima’s arms. They stood in silence just gazing at each other. 

“I-”

“Ts-” They both began to speak at once. A soft smile spread across Yamaguchi’s face and his eyes crinkled when he laughed. Tsukishima sat in a stunned silence. He had no idea how it was possible for someone to produce such a perfect sound. 

“You go first Tsukki.” The blonde had never had a way with words but now he found an inability to produce any sound. Yamaguchi looked at him fondly, one hand coming up to straighten Tsukishima’s glasses. 

“Okay I’ll go first. I like you Tsukki...I like you a lot. Before I fainted I was going to kiss you...and I thought you were going to kiss me too but you never mentioned anything after and then you ran away at the picnic… If you don’t like me that's fine but I just ask that you’re honest with me.” The sincerity of his words made Tsukishima’s stomach clench in fear. 

There was no point in denying that he had feelings for the dancer any longer. His actions today proved that his attempts at ignoring the problem were futile. Did he want to ignore these feelings? Were they actually a problem? 

He was transported 22 years in the past. A 7 year old Kei sat snuggled on the couch next to his mom as she tried to silently weep into the blanket. They were watching a movie but all he could focus on was the heartbreak in his mother’s sobs. Fast forward 15 years and he was leaving the airport as Akiteru broke down in the passenger seat. He felt their pain as if it was his own and it planted his feet firmly to the ground, not allowing him to jump into the murky waters known as love. 

A soft hand on his cheek pulled Tsukishima out of his trance. 

“Hey, tell me what you’re thinking.” Tsukishima looked up at Yamaguchi. He felt a sense of calm wash over him as he looked into the other man’s eyes. Love was terrifying. Placing your heart in someone else’s hands and allowing them to take control was dangerous. No matter how thoughtfully you cared for the other’s there was no guarantee they would treat you the same.

But Tsukishima felt the tenderness of Yamaguchi’s touch. He felt the gentle warmth of his skin. There were no scars and burns on his fingers like the ones Tsukishima had earned after years of working in a kitchen. They were unblemished and they cradled Tsukishima like he was the most precious thing in the world. 

Tsukishima moved one hand up to blanket Yamaguchi’s on his face. He laced their fingers together, a motion so easy you would have thought they had done it a thousand times. 

Falling in love was terrifying. It felt like jumping off the highest cliff not knowing if there was water or rocks below you. But Tsukishima knew it would all be worth it if there was a chance Yamaguchi was there waiting for him at the bottom. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukki has a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! Sorry for the hiatus. My computer quit on me so I had to type this out on my phone! 
> 
> Here is Tsukki and Yam’s happy ending <3 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!

~Four Years Later~

Even after a year of marriage Tsukishima wasn’t used to the weight of the ring on his finger. He sat on their couch twisting the silver metal while deep in thought. He had had a lot on his mind recently but no matter how stressed or lost he was, Yamaguchi was always there to ground him. 

“Okay what is wrong with you.” Said husband walked into the living room and gave Tsukishima a pointed look, hands on his hips. He was dressed in one of Tsukki’s sweaters and a pair of leggings. The overall look made the blonde more aroused than intimidated. 

“What are you talking about?” Tsukishima tried to deflect but he knew that sharp glare all too well. There was no tricking his husband. 

“Kei…”  _ Shit _ . Now he knew he had a few precious moments to spill the beans or he would become very well acquainted with the couch tonight. 

“I’ve been thinking…” Tsukishima licked his lips nervously. These thoughts had been running through his head for weeks but he had never voiced them out loud. They sat heavy on the top of his tongue. In his head they were just fantasies, but once he said them out loud he would have to act upon them. 

“Funny how humans do that isn’t it?” Over their years as a couple Yamaguchi had picked up a bit of Tsukishima’s dry sass. The blonde always snickered when it was directed at some idiot like Hinata or Kageyama but he didn’t enjoy it when it was used against him. 

“I was thinking about leaving the Crow’s Nest and starting my own restaurant.” The words tumbled out of his mouth as an unrefined mess. 

It had always been a dream of his to have his own restaurant. For years he had been content to work at the Crow’s Nest. Kageyama gave him full control over the kitchen, the atmosphere was pleasant, and even if they were imbeciles he enjoyed the other staff. But now he yearned for something to call his own. 

“Oh that’s it?” Yamaguchi stated in a nonchalant tone. He acted like Tsukki had said that he wanted to change the way he cut his hair or get a new pair of glasses, not make a life altering decision that if it failed could put them in financial ruin.

Tsukishima balked at his husband. The dancer strolled out of the living room and into their kitchen, pulling two mugs out from the cabinet and setting the kettle on the stove. 

“That’s it? I’ve been struggling with this morally for weeks and all you have to say is that’s it?” 

Yamaguchi smiled softly as he scooped loose tea leaves into their tea infusers. Two dinosaurs. Rini had gotten them for Tsukki as a birthday present. 

“Yea. At first I thought you were going to say something like you weren’t happy anymore or that you had cheated.  _ Then _ I would be upset, but why would I be upset about this?” 

The kettle started to whistle and Yamaguchi removed it from the stove, pouring it into the mugs and handing one to Tsukishima. 

“I-I would never cheat on you Tadashi.” As far as Tsukishima was concerned Yamaguchi was it for him. If this relationship didn’t work out then he would accept being alone for the rest of his days. No one else in the world would be able to make his heart stutter like the dancer did during their quiet nights together. 

Yamaguchi flashed him a warm smile as he took a sip of his tea. 

“I know that Tsukki. So why don’t you tell me why this is bothering you so much. Owning your own restaurant has always been your dream.”

“I know that...but it will be hard. It’s expensive and I’ll have to put in more hours and we just bought this house and…” Tsukishima looked down at the pale yellow tea in his mug. 

He wouldn’t always be able to come home before Yamaguchi fell asleep. He’d have to work weekends and holidays. And if the restaurant failed it would be  _ their _ burden to shoulder. It was a lot to ask and Tsukishima was terrified. Terrified that Yamaguchi would grow sick of his side of the bed being barren. Grow sick of being tethered to a man who had sold his soul to a kitchen. He was terrified of failing and disappointing the only person who mattered. 

“Hey.” Yamaguchi’s gentle tone and soft touch pulled Tsukki out of his thoughts. The dancer took the mug out of the blonde’s hands and set it down on the counter next to his own. He laced their fingers together. His thumbs rubbing soft circles against Tsukishima’s.

“No matter what I will always be here to support you. I know it will be hard and stressful. You’ll have to put in a lot of work to get the restaurant on its feet but I believe in you Kei. You’re smart, determined, talented, and so fucking stubborn. Once people taste your food they won’t be able to resist coming back.” 

Tsukishima let out a shuddery breath. He looked into Yamaguchi’s warm brown eyes and saw nothing but unwavering love and adoration in them. 

He felt all of the anxiety that had been eating away at him melt away. If Tadashi believed in him then there was nothing that he couldn’t do. The blonde wrapped his arms around his husband and pulled him into a warm embrace, pressing a tender kiss to the crown of his head. 

Yamaguchi hummed happily into the contact. The times his husband was touchy were few and far between so he made sure to cherish it whenever the opportunity was presented to him. 

“Thank you…” It had taken a long time for Tsukishima to be able to trust someone like this. For the first year of their relationship he was….well he was an asshole. He was snarky and distant. He wanted a relationship but subconsciously he was doing everything in his power to sabotage it because that was easier than giving someone the power to hurt you. 

Through it all Tadashi had remained steadfast. In the beginning he was meek and took all of Tsukishima’s crass comments and cold actions with his tail tucked between his legs. But then one night after one too many beers Yamaguchi blew up on him. 

He yelled at Tsukishima for being an asshole. He told Tsukki about how much he cared and loved him and how desperately he wanted to have Tsukishima love him back. He told him about how he kept a smile on his face but on the inside he was breaking. 

Tsukishima watched as the dancer poured his heart out with tears streaming down his face and he found that it made his heart ache. He had been so focused on protecting himself he didn’t see how he was doing to Yamaguchi what he was terrified of happening to himself. 

That night he vowed to be a better man. If not for himself then for Tadashi. 

At first it had been difficult. Oikawa had always called him emotionally stunted and the brunette’s insults had some merit. 

After a lot of talking and figuring out his own emotions, a real relationship started to blossom between the two of them, and here they were three years later. Happily married and living in a small house with blue shutters and a white picket fence. 

The blonde had never imagined that this would be the direction his life went, but waking up every morning to the comforting scent of Yamaguchi’s cucumber melon shampoo and the sound of his soft snores was Tsukishima’s new definition of heaven. 

~~~

Tsukishima knew that opening his own restaurant would be stressful but the amount of hoops he had to jump through was testing his mental fortitude. 

It had been almost a full year since he and Tadashi had had that late night talk in their kitchen. Not one to lollygag, Tsukishima started the preparations to open his own restaurant the next week. 

Surprisingly, getting the loan was the easiest part. Then they had to find a location, get all of the equipment they would need, file all the necessary paperwork and get the permits, pick out a theme, hire staff, decorate, and advertise. 

Some nights while he squinted at his computer screen in the small hours of the morning, Tsukishima wondered if it was all worth it. At the Crow’s Nest he didn’t have to worry about all this shit. Starting his own business opened his eyes to the hell Oikawa and Kageyama must have gone through when first opening the bed and breakfast, and he looked at the pair in a completely different light now. 

During those trying times Yamaguchi never failed to swoop in and somehow magically ease all of his worries. The dancer stayed up late helping him pick out tables and chairs. He sat in the dining room holding paint swatches up to the wall, trying to decide between the colors Steel, Anchor, or Iron. He was the unofficial taste tester of the entire menu but Tsukishima didn’t find him to be very helpful. No matter what the chef put in front of his husband he only received high praise and pathetic pleas for more. 

While they were tasting the dessert menu things may have gotten a bit...out of hand. Tsukki didn’t know if he would ever be able to use whipped cream again without blushing. 

Tsukishima had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into this restaurant. Now he stood in front of a small crowd, composed mostly of his family and friends, his hand holding onto a rope attached to the white tarp that covered the name of the restaurant. 

Golden eyes flicked over nervously to Yamaguchi who stood by his side. The dancer gave him a soft smile and a reassuring thumbs up. 

“I just wanted to thank you all for joining me...joining us here today. Opening my own restaurant has always been a dream of mine and to see it come true...I wouldn’t have been able to do this without all of your support so thank you.

But most importantly I want to thank my husband Tadashi. Throughout all of this he has been by my side and has been involved throughout every step of this process. Without him I wouldn’t have had the guts to do this. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and for that I am eternally grateful. So I dedicate this restaurant to him. I hope that when people taste my food they are able to experience even a quarter of the happiness that I feel every day because of my husband.” 

Tsukishima flushed crimson as the crowd awed at the heartfelt statement. Kuroo let out a loud wolf whistle. Hinata wore a smug “I told you so” look on his face. Tsukishima regret ever associating with any of these idiots. 

The blonde pulled down on the rope and the tarp fluttered to the ground, unveiling the golden lettering hanging above the door. 

_ Sobakasu  _

Tsukishima turned to face his husband. Tadashi looked up at him with a bright wobbly smile. Tears ran down his cheeks as he reached out and cupped his husband’s face, pulling the taller man into a passionate kiss. 

“I love you so much Tsukki.” 

Tsukishima’s lips spread into a rare smile. He brought one of his hands up to cup Tadashi’s cheek, his thumb tracing along the dark smattering of freckles that dusted his skin. The same damn freckles that had caused him to fall for the dancer all those years ago. 

He had spent many a night worshiping those freckles and he knew he would continue to do so for the rest of his life. 

“I love you too Tadashi.”

Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would fall for a set of freckle dusted cheeks, a mop of unruly brown hair, and a godly pair of thighs in tights, but here he was. Love was messy and scary and hard but it was also exhilarating and rewarding and had become his everything. 

Tadashi was his everything and he would spend the rest of his life grateful for dance recitals and dinosaur cookies. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn’t know Sobakasu means freckles in Japanese <3 
> 
> Tsukki is a soft boi deep deep deep down.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 2 is the BBQ!


End file.
